The present invention is in the field of ground fault interrupters (GFI's) and, more particularly, GFI's in power distribution systems which operate in vehicles such as aerospace vehicles.
In modern day aerospace vehicles, power distribution systems may incorporate ground fault protection. In a typical prior art vehicle, current transformers are employed as part of the apparatus needed to detect current variations and interrupt current if and when a ground fault event occurs. Prior art ground fault interruption (GFI) is realized by detecting differential current using a current transformer, comparing the differential current with a threshold value, and interrupting current from a power source through a remote power controller when the differential current exceeds the threshold value. Current transformers are expensive and their use adds weight to an aerospace vehicle. Also use of current transformers increases system interconnection complexity and reduces flexibility of SSPC system. As is the case for virtually any type of complexity, interconnection complexity may present opportunities for failures and may contribute to reduced overall reliability of a power system of an aerospace vehicle.
An alternate method to current transformer type GFI is provided by performing current sum digitally. But, many aerospace vehicles employ multi-phase power distribution (e.g. 3 phase power). Precision of the digital current sum GFI performance may be affected by errors in detecting actual current differentials between respective phases. Phase angle variations may produce one form of current differential error. Also current transformers may not be capable of perfectly representing actual current in a phase. Collectively, these factors may produce a current differential error. Presence of such potential errors in detecting actual current may adversely affect the precision with which prior art GFI systems may operate.
In order to avoid false tripping, a GFI device or system must be allowed to ignore a current differential that is equal to or less than an error differential. For example, if an error differential has a potential for appearing as a current variation of 1% between phases, then a GFI trip level must be set so that the GFI operates only after an actual current variation or current reading differential exceeds 1%.
As aerospace vehicles evolve, there is an increased demand for lower weight of components. There is also a developing need for increased reliability of individual systems because there are an increasing number of systems being incorporated into aerospace vehicles. Overall reliability of vehicles with an increasing number of systems may only be sustained if reliability of each system is improved. In that context, interconnection complexity associated with use of current transformers for GFI functions is counterproductive.
As can be seen, there is a need to provide for ground fault interruption without use of current transformers. There is also a need to provide trip levels of ground fault interruption devices lower than prior-art differentials in multi-phase power systems.